Avoid Medication Errors at Home

Everyone taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication should take some simple steps to avoid medication errors.

General

Keep
a complete list of all prescription and nonprescription medicines,
including vitamins and minerals, you are taking. Take this list with you
to all doctor appointments.

Ask your doctor to explain your medication, including how often to take it and why you are taking it.

Keep medications in their original, labeled containers.

Keep medications for people separate from pet medications or household chemicals.

Never take another person’s prescription medication or share yours with anyone.

Picking up your prescriptions

Get
printed information about your medication. Make sure the name of the
drug (brand or generic) and the directions for taking the medication are
the same as that written down by your health care provider. Ask for
answers to the following questions:

What should the medication my doctor prescribed look like?

Are there potential side effects, and what should I do if they happen?

Should I avoid any liquids, foods, or activities while using this medicine?

When
you buy over-the-counter medications, read the labels carefully – they
may contain ingredients you should not be taking. Ask your pharmacist
for help if you have difficulty selecting the right product.

In the Hospital

Take your medications and your list of medications with you when you go to the hospital.

Ask your doctor the name of each medication he or she prescribes for you and the reason you are taking it.

Look at every medicine before you take it. If it does not look like what you usually take, ask why.

Ask to have someone else present whenever you are receiving medication. and are unable to ask about the medications yourself.